Community grants

The provision of grants to community organisations is an important way for local governments to support their local communities.

Types of grant

The types of grant programs and activities usually funded by local governments include direct grants or indirect subsidies for the following:

Donation-type grants

These grants are provided to community organisations within the local government boundaries for cultural, sporting, and environment related activities. There are usually very few conditions placed on the grant and little expected in return by the local government.

Shopping-type grants

These grants are used by local governments to 'buy' a benefit for the community. Examples include:

cultural grants for cultural and academic development e.g. workshops in visual and performing arts, subsidies for gallery exhibitions in council facilities, youth programs, musical equipment artist development programs

Investing-type grants

These types of grants are used by local governments to build the capacity of the community e.g. grant writing programs, maintenance of public halls, plant and equipment purchases, capital upgrades and improvements of community facilities.

The local government must allow the public to inspect the policy at the local government office or on their website. The public must also be able to purchase copies of the policy from the local government.

In addition, the annual report is required to state any expenditure by councillors of their discretionary funds to community organisations including which organisations received grants and the amount and purpose of each grant.